FDA Approves New Treatment for Peyronie’s Disease

Last week the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved a new use for Xiaflex (collagenase clostridium histolyticum). The drug is now the first medication to ever be approved for treatment of Peyronie’s disease.

Peyronie’s disease is a little-discussed condition that occurs when a man has a build-up of scar tissue inside of his penis. This scar tissue can make a man’s penis appear crooked or crooked, and it can make his erections quite painful. In some cases, it also prevents a man from being able to have intercourse. Until now, there were no FDA-approved drugs which could be used to treat the condition. (It is estimated that around 5 percent of men suffer from Peyronie’s).

Xiaflex was found to be safe and effective after the completion of two randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled studies. Over 800 men with Peyronie’s disease (defined as a curvature of the penis of more than 30 degrees) were found to significantly reduced curvature as well as reduced symptoms (such as less pain and discomfort during sex).

Peyronie’s can occur for a number of reasons, and sometimes doctors aren’t always able to trace back the condition’s root cause. Largely it is believed that Peyronie’s is caused by accident or injury to the disease. This might include an athletic accident such as being struck during a sports game or it might include a sexual incident such as overly forceful sex that leads to the penis being bent or injured in some way.

Some people also believe that Peyronie’s might have a genetic link, and that some men might be more predisposed to developing this condition than others. Still others wonder if Peyronie’s is related to issues in the immune system. Whatever the culprit, men used to simply have to suffer with Peyronie’s silence. They were often afraid to bring the issue up to their doctor and they might not have known was treatments were available to them, if any. And, it’s important to remember that Peyronie’s isn’t just a physical condition. It can impact a man’s self-esteem, his sexual enjoyment, and even his relationship. He might avoid sex or intimacy because erections are painful or because he is afraid of further injury or discomfort to his penis, and all of this can add up to decreased intercourse and sexual pleasure.

Along with Xiaflex, there are other treatments available for Peyronie’s as well, including oral medications and surgical methods such as penile implants. However, surgery can be quite invasive, and patients cannot undergo such treatments until their doctor is certain the curvature is no longer increasing. Oral medications have also not been shown to be very effective, so it is exciting news that further medical progress has been made in the treatment of this condition.

If you think you might have Peyronie’s, talk to your doctor and learn what your treatment options are. You don’t have to be embarrassed—your doctor has seen and heard it all, and your sexual health is an important part of your overall physical health and well-being.

Get the latest health updates

Thanks for signing up!

Oops!

A system error was encountered. Please try again later.

Follow us on your favorite social network!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Laura Berman, PhD

Laura Berman, PhD, is a leading sex and relationship educator and therapist, popular TV and radio host, New York Times best-selling author, and assistant clinical professor of ob-gyn and psychiatry at the...read more